Apple app refund

Serial entrepreneur Scott Painter has devised yet another new way for you to get into a new car. Well, a car that is new to you, anyway. The founder of Cars Direct and TrueCar has launched a new venture called Fair. An app-based operation, Fair aims to connect people who want to lease a pre-owned vehicle with a pre-owned vehicle that wants to be leased. According to the company: “Fair aims to grant access to mobility to everyone by pioneering the car-as-a-service (CaaS) concept. It gives customers the freedom to drive the car they want for as long as they want, and the flexibility to walk away at any time.” Ultimately, the lack of a set term for the contract is the primary benefit of using Fair. What Fair does Conceived to fill the white space between long-term car renting, car sharing and car ownership, Fair provides no commitment, all-in leases, allowing its customers to drive the vehicle for as short or as long as they’d like. Dealerships sign up to … [Read more...] about TrueCar founder launches Fair, a payment-based used-car leasing app

An ad blocker application, called Peace, has been the number one paid-for app in the App Store until developer Marco Arment pulled it just two days after its release. "Peace required that all ads be treated the same — all-or-nothing enforcement for decisions that aren't black and white," Arment wrote in a blog post published Friday. "This approach is too blunt, and Ghostery and I have both decided that it doesn't serve our goals or beliefs well enough." Peace, which is powered by the design company Ghostery, was intended to block unwanted content on iOS 9. Launched on September 16 — the same day as Apple's latest operating system — Peace made its way to the top of the App Store charts with great reviews. But its reign atop the paid app rankings was short-lived. "From the Ghostery side, this was an eye opening experiment," Scott Meyer, chief executive officer at Ghostery, said in a blog post Friday. "Both we and Marco feel that the way Peace was being used compromised … [Read more...] about Popular ad blocker app Peace pulled from App Store 2 days after release

Apple is known to be strict with its refund policy, but not in Europe. The latest iTunes Store Terms and Conditions will allow refunds on most App Store purchases in the U.K., Italy, Germany and France. "If you choose to cancel your order, you may do so within 14 days from when you received your receipt without giving any reason," states the Apple terms' website. The refund policy will apply to all purchases made through the App Store, iTunes Store and the iBook Store. The only thing that can't be refunded are iTunes Gifts. The new policy concerns developers of single-use apps, since people can just return their products after trying them out once. Therefore the developers wouldn't have any profit. There is no word on whether Apple will implement the same policy in the United States. Users in the U.S. will still have to personally contact Apple and ask for a refund. Twitter:@MrAlexAlba Join the Conversation: … [Read more...] about Apple implements App Store, iTunes 14-day refund policy in Europe

Forgot your wallet? That's not a problem anymore. More than 220,000 stores across the country — such as Macy's, McDonald's, Subway and Walgreens locations — are now accepting Apple Pay, the tech giant's electronic payment system that allows customers to pay with their phone. Customers must have an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus and load their credit or debit card intimation into their phones before making a transaction. The system rolled out Monday, and it has seen some hiccups. On Wednesday, Bank of America promised to refund about 1,000 customers who were charged twice for their purchases. Some social media users have complained that cashiers didn't know how the new system worked. HOW DO I SET UP APPLE PAY? First, grab you credit card. The card must be from one of eight Apple partners: American Express, Bank of America, CapitalOne, Chase, Citi, MasterCard, Visa or Wells Fargo. Then, add the card's info into your phone's Passbook, which you can find under Settings. … [Read more...] about Where can I use Apple Pay? 220,000 U.S. stores accept cardless payment

These parents are “iRate.” Canadian mom Paula Marner was stunned to see that her twin sons had gone on a spending spree for app-related purchases on iTunes. The final tally: $3,000. The 7-year-olds were playing the game “Clash of Clans” on the iPad during a trip to England when they unwittingly agreed to buy items used in the game — at a cost ranging from 99 cents to $99 per purchase. “I think it’s very deceptive,” Marner, of Newfoundland, told CBC News about the way so-called “bait apps” are placed into kids’ games that are billed as being free. “I accused them of a little bit worse, but it’s just greed.” In “Clash of Clans” and other similar games, little messages pop up alerting players to buy in-app add-ons to upgrade their gaming experience. To do so, they have to put in their iTunes passwords and agree. But Marner said her sons, Elias and Malachy, didn’t realize … [Read more...] about App-alled: Mom gets hit with $3K bill after twin sons mistakenly purchase apps on iTunes

WASHINGTON — Apple will refund at least $32.5 million to consumers to settle a federal case involving purchases that kids made without their parents' permission while playing on mobile apps, the government announced Wednesday. The Federal Trade Commission said Apple will make full refunds for any such in-app purchases made by kids while playing on mobile phones and other devices, and incurring charges without parents' knowledge or permission. The commission said it had received tens of thousands of complaints about unauthorized charges. Edith Ramirez, the agency's head, said the settlement only involves children's mobile apps and charges racked up when kids bought things such as virtual currency or dragon food. In some cases, Ramirez said, charges ran into the hundreds and even thousands of dollars. The $32.5 million is the minimum that Apple would pay. As part of the settlement, Apple is required to pay full refunds to consumers for kids' … [Read more...] about Apple to refund $32.5M for kids’ accidental in-app purchases

Apple has reached a $32.5 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over unauthorized purchases made within smartphone and tablet apps.The settlement requires Apple — maker of the iPad and iPhone — to offer full refunds "for any charges by a minor that are unauthorized," FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said at a press conference Wednesday.The deal also mandates Apple update its billing practices to ensure it has express consent from users before charging them for content within apps."This settlement is a victory for consumers harmed by Apple's unfair billing, and a signal to the business community: Whether you're doing business in the mobile arena or the mall down the street, fundamental consumer protections apply," Ramirez said.The deal stems from purchases made within apps by kids using a smartphone or tablet. In most cases, the purchases are racked up without their parents' consent.Many mobile games and apps offer items such as in-game currency that users can … [Read more...] about Apple settles with FTC over in-app purchases

The Federal Trade Commission accused online retailer Amazon.com of billing parents for millions of dollars in unauthorized in-app purchases on Kindle Fire tablets and other devices.In a lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, the FTC charges that Amazon willingly allowed kids to make purchases within apps downloaded using mobile devices without parental consent. The unauthorized charges, which ranged from 99 cents to $99 per consumer, were usually for virtual items in games and apps. But the charges add up to millions of dollars in unauthorized purchases, said Jessica Rich, director of the FTC's consumer protection bureau.Parents were billed "without consent, sticking (them) with unexpected bills in the hundreds of dollars," Rich said. "We are seeking this money back for consumers as well as an order preventing the company from billing consumers without their permission in the future." AMAZON: Seeks OK for enhanced drone testsWhen Amazon began allowing in-app purchases in … [Read more...] about FTC sues Amazon over in-app purchases

Washington D.C. — Next time you head out on a vacation, you might want to have the Tripit app on your smartphone.It keeps track of your upcoming and past flights, for free, and with the purchase of the $49 yearly premium Tripit Pro version, will track your miles and fare refunds too. To use the app for "teams," at work, Tripit's fee starts at $29 monthly for up to 10 users.The app "documents your entire itinerary, right in your phone," says David Mueller, from Olympia, Wash., interviewed recently when he was visiting the area. "It's pretty awesome."Tripit is available on all four major smartphone platforms: Apple, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone. Additionally, the Tripit app is on the new Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch as well. Readers: what's your favorite travel app? Tell me about it on Twitter, where I'm @jeffersongraham. … [Read more...] about Talking Tech | Tripit app for travel assist

With the tax deadline less than a week away, the clock is ticking for procrastinators who haven’t filed their returns yet. But if you’re among them, don’t sweat it. For one thing, you’re in good company. More than 30 million Americans still haven’t filed, Jackson Hewitt chief tax officer Mark Steber estimates. And, fortunately, it’s now easier than ever to file at the eleventh hour — wherever you might be — thanks to a host of new mobile tax apps, many of which can be downloaded for free either online or right from your Here are five Your Money favorites: n l IRS2Go Granted, the name sounds like a restaurant takeout order, but this app unveiled last year by the Internal Revenue Service allows users to track the status of their return and when they can expect a check. Plus, it has tips and a feature that lets you locate the previous year’s returns. Download it for free at the Apple App Store (apple.com/apps) … [Read more...] about Apps can help make filing tax returns less taxing